Engine



S. ELIOT Jan. 5, 1954 ENGINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1- Filed Sept. 27, 1949 Jan.5, 1954 s. ELIOT 2,664,865

ENGINE Filed Sept. 27, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 235% w v a5 l... as I lIQ I 1 /4 S. ELIOT Jan. 5, 1954 ENGINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 27,1949 Jan. 5, 1954 s. ELIOT ENGINE Filed Sept. 27, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Patented Jan. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENGINE Samuel Eliot,Newton, Mass.

Application September 27, 1949, Serial No. 118,139 4 Claims. (01.123-52) This invention relates to internal combustion engines. It aimsto improve engines of this type with a view to simplifying theirconstruction, greatly reducing the weight per horse power ratio,improving the performance of such engines, and devising an organizationwhich can be manufactured and operated far more economically than thoseof the common commercial forms.

The nature of the invention Will be readily understood from thefollowing description when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an engine or motor embodying features of thisinvention;

Fig. 1A is a sectional view of a piston cylinder with a double-endedpiston in it;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the engine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the engine illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal, sectional view of the engine shown in Figs. 1and 2, the section being taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the crank and gear supporting unit;

Fig. 5A is a section of Fig. 5 on the line 5A--5A; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views taken, respectively, approximately onthe line 6-5 of Fig. 1 and 'i-'i of Fig. 4.

Preliminary to a detailed description of the construction shown in thedrawings, it may be pointed. out that the engine here illustrated forthe purposes of disclosure is of the two-cycle type and includes twodouble-ended cylinders, two double-ended pistons operating,respectively, in said cylinders, and mechanism operatively connectingsaid pistons with a power take-off gear.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 4, the two cylinders above referred toare there shown at A and B, respectively, positioned side by side.Preferably each cylinder includes an inner shell of iron, steel, orequivalent material, and an outer shell of aluminum or an equivalentlight-weight metal alloy. These preferably consist simply of tubestelescoped, one in the other, and for manufacturing reasons each may bemade of sections united at the middle of the sleeve or cylinder with anoverlapping joint, as shown at a, Fig. 4.

Mounted in each cylinder is a double-ended piston, that for the cylinderA being shown at 6 and that for the cylinder B at I. Preferably eachpiston consists of a suitable length of solid 2 aluminum bar fittingsnugly, but slidably, with suitable piston clearance, in its respectivecylinder, the opposite ends of each piston being shaped as shown in Fig.4. In addition to the diagonal faces 8 provided at opposite ends of eachpiston, the part adjacent to the junction of this face with the endsurface of the piston is drilled both transversely and radially toprovide an auxiliary exhaust passage 9 which, at appropriate times, ismoved into register with one of the exhaust slot ports I!) formedthrough the outer walls of both cylinders. The ends of the cylinders areclosed by cylinder head plates l2 which are clamped against the cylinderends by stay rods I3 and nuts threaded on them. Also secured to theopposite ends of the cylinders are two hollow cylinder head castings orstampings I4-l4, which are bolted to the plates I2 and thus hold thecylinders side by side in fixed relationship to each other.

Between the two cylinders is a frame piece I5, which is best shown inFigs. 5 and 5A. It is secured in place by bolts or screws Iii-46, Fig.4, passing through the cylinder head castings I 4-H, and it forms thesupport for the mechanism which connects the two pistons and transmitsthe power produced in them to a suitable take-off. A base 0 forsupporting the motor may be secured to the lower edge of the frame pieceI5.

As best shown in Figure 4, the piston i has a wrist pin I'I anchored toit and equipped with a ball bearing D, Fig. 7, on its outer end facingthe crank gear. The frame piece I5 has a cavity or recess formed in oneside thereof to receive a gear I8, preferably of the helical type, abearing stud for this gear being formed integral with the member I 5.Connecting this gear with the wrist pin I1 is a crank rod I 9, bestshown in Fig. '7. Preferably this connection is made to the crank pin 20on the gear It by a ball bearing or other antifriction bearing.

Also mounted on the frame piece I5 in essentially the manner abovedescribed is another gear 2|, like the gear I8, meshing with it andconnected with the piston '6 by parts similar to those above describedconnecting the piston I with the latter gear. These parts are designatedby the same but primed numerals. The two gears I8 and 2| are mounted onopposite sides or faces of the frame member l5 and the crank pins I1 andii" are set at angles to each other so that, for example, when the crankI 9 is vertical the other crank I9 will be horizontal, and the powerimpulses transmitted by the two pistons to a power take-off gear drivenby either of the gears E8 or 2! will thus be only 90 apart, or where onepiston is at the top dead center, an alternate opposite piston will behalf-way up on its stroke.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the opposite ends of thepiston 6 cooperate with the opposite ends of the cylinder A in which itslides to function as two combustion chambers or cyl inder" structuresof an internal combustion engine. The same is true of the piston 8 inthe cylinder B. And these four cylinders or combustion chambers may bedesignated as 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively, referring to the numbersenclosed in circles.

The other accessories necessary to the operation of this structure as afour-cylinder engine may be connected to the unit above described in anysuitable manner. As shown in Figs. 2 and '7 a carburetor 22, which maybe of a standard form is connected to each of the intakes 22', Fig.

1, provided in the cylinder head castings I l-l4,

these castings serving as intake manifolds. Also, in each cylinder headplate l2 several, for in stance four, automatic spring-actuated intakevalves 24 are provided to control the admission of the fuel mixture intothe respective cylinders l. to 4, inclusive, and closing same. Sparkplugs for each of these four cylinders are also shown in Fig. 4 at 25.An ignition system of any suitable form may be provided including, forexample, a magneto or a distributor 26, Fig. l, driven by the gear 2|through another gear 21, as shown in Fig. 2, the gear 21 running attwice the speed of the gear 2 I. Also, as above indicated, another gear28, Fig. 2, meshing with and driven by the gear (8 may be utilized as apower take-off or a blower drive, or both, and its shaft is equippedwith a double V-belt pulley 30, or any other suitable means fortransmitting power in the manner described.

A Venturi tube 3| is secured to the motor in register with each of theexhaust ports ID for reasons that will presently be explained.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that each of thepistons will make two strokes, one forward and one backward, for eachrotation of either the gear [8 or 2!. In Fig. 4 the end of the piston 6cooperating with the combustion chamber or cylinder section 1 has justcompleted its power stroke to the right and the other end of thispiston, cooperating with the cylinder 2, is completing its compressionstroke prior to being fired. The ignition system may be so timed withreference to the movements of the pistons that the four cylinders willfire in the order of, say, one, four, two, three.

Because this is a two-cycle engine, without the conventional crank case,unique and automatic timing of the exhaust from each cylinder isprovided. Assuming that the left-hand end of the piston 6 in Fig. 4 ismaking its power stroke and the port 9 comes into register with theexhaust port l while the piston is still moving to the right, a limitedburst of exhaust gases through the ports 9 and I0 and into the Venturiexhaust tube 3! will first occur. This discharge, however, will 'be cutoif shortly by the passage of the section d of the piston across theport I0. As soon as it has passed, the port II) will be fully open tothe combustion chamber for the discharge of exhaust gases which, at thistime, are expanding rap-idly. It is preferable to position the port !0somewhat farther up in the cylinder than normal so that the exhaustbegins at an abnormally early period in the cycle of operation of eachcylinder. The two bursts or gets of exhaust gases passing through theport [0,

as just described, and discharged into the Van-- turi tube, set up apartial vacuum behind them and this vacuum continues to build up as thegases are discharged through the Venturi tube and while the pistonreverses its travel and starts back toward the left. A final dischargeof residual gases from the cylinder occurs as the port 9 passes the portl0, moving toward the left on its compression stroke, but it is createdmainly by the suction already set up in the exhaust tube 31. This samesuction is sufficient to open the intake valves 24 at the head of thiscylinder No. 1 and permit an inrush of fuel mixture into that cylinder.An instant later the port I0 is closed as the piston continues to moveup and the intake valves now close automatically, with the result thatcompression of the new charge of fuel mixture occurs before the pistonreaches its top dead center. At about this time this compressed chargeis fired and the piston starts on another power stroke.

The same action occurs in each of the other four cylinders or combustionchambers so that when the engine is running it produces four powerimpulses during each rotation of either gear I8 or 2|.

Because the time interval in which each cylinder can pick up a newcharge of fuel is extremely short, the efficiency of the engine can begreatly increased by connecting a blower to the intake of each of thecarburetors 22, or by providing some other simple form of superchargerwith a carburetor at its intake. However, the engine can be run withoutsuch ad ditional equipment, care being taken to advance the opening ofthe exhaust port I!) sufliciently, as above explained, to take advantageof the suction-creating properties characteristic of Venturi exhausttubes.

Lubrication may be supplied to the bearings for the gears and cranklinks by hand, or in any convenient manner. Each piston is provid edwith a central circumferential groove to which lubricant can be fed froma supply pipe or an oil cup 0, Figs. 1 and 1A, tapped through the middleof each cylinder at its center. Only a. very slow feed of oil isrequired for this purpose because the piston floats in oil restricted byopposite end pressures.

The particular engine shown in the drawings has four combustion chambersor cylinders but, as compared to the ordinary eight-cylinder four-cycleengine, it also gives eight-cylinder performance. That is, the formerengine produces eight explosions in each two revolutions, and thatlikewise is true of applicants engine.

l lowever, as compared to the ordinar eightcylincler engine, applicantsengine is extraordinarily simple. Those parts of the orthodox enginejust referred to, which are eliminated in applicants construction, arethe crank shaft with all of its bearings, the crank case, oil sump, camshaft with its gears and bearings, push rods, rocker arms, fly wheel,water pump, water jacket, air cooler fins, and others. Because of thiselimination of parts, plus the low cost of manufacture of applicantsengine in accordance with light-weight practice, the horsepower perpound of weight can be made extraordinarily high. It should also beobserved that in this engine no piston rings are necessary, due to thefloating conditions and opposing pressures.

No cooling mechanism is required for ordinary operation. Much internalcooling naturally is produced. Largely responsible for this result isthe fact that outside air is taken into the cylinders for a largerproportion of the time than in engines of the orthodox constructions,and the quick vacuum exhausts and the early initiation of the exhaustcontributing to this result. The solid pistons also are helpful in thisrespect.

It should be observed that the engine can be run in either direction andon any type of fuel suitable for use in internal combustion engines. Theinvention can also be incorporated in other types of engines, such asthe diesel, by the use of a suitable fuel injection mechanism withhigher compression and no spark.

While I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be evident that it is susceptible of embodiment in agreat variety of other forms. For example, the number of cylinders usedcan be changed within a wide range while still obtaining the benefit ofnovel features of this invention. Naturally while one of these enginesof one cylinder functions as a two-cylinder engine, better balancingeffects can be accomplished with more cylinders. It is preferred to makea flat engine with two cylinders, as shown in the drawings, or inmultiples of two.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. In an internal combustion engine comprising a pair of cylinderspositioned side by side in spaced relation, a double ended piston ineach cylinder, ignition means and fuel supply means at each end of eachcylinder, an intake valve for each cylinder, a relative flat framemember positioned between said spaced cylinders, said frame membersbeing formed with a pair of generally annular recesses in its oppositefaces, a bearing stud carried by said frame member centrally of eachannular recess, head castings connecting the ends of said cylinders,means securing the ends of the frame member to said head castings,meshing gears on said bearing studs, wrist pins projecting from themedial portion of each piston,

and a crank connecting each wrist pin with a .gear at points eccentricof the gear axis.

2. In a two-cycle internal combustion engine comprising a pair ofcylinders positioned side by side in spaced relation, head castingsconnecting the opposite ends of said cylinders, a double ended piston ineach cylinder, ignition means and fuel supply means at each end of eachcylinder, a pair of spaced exhaust ports formed in each cylinder wall,exhaust pipes for conducting the exhaust gases away from the cylinders,exhaust passageways formed in each end of each piston and extending fromthe ends of the pistons and discharging laterally through the side ofthe piston through the exhaust ports, an intake port in each cylinderhead in substantial alignment with the exhaust opening in the end ofeach piston head, an inwardly opening normally spring closed inlet valvefor said intake ports, an elongated frame member positioned between saidpair of cylinders, means fixing the ends of the elongated frame memberto said head castings, said frame member being formed with a pair ofannular oppositely facing recesses, a bearing stud carried by the framemember centrally of the annular recesses, meshing gears mounted on saidstuds, wrist pins projecting from the medial portion of each piston, anda crank connecting each wrist pin with a gear at points eccentric of thegear axis.

3. The structure of claim 2 characterized in that head castings enclosethe opposite ends of each pair of cylinders, and elongated fasteningmeans extend from the head castings longitudinally into said framemember to secure the latter in position.

4. The structure of claim 2 characterized in that the exhaust pipesconnected with each of the exhaust ports are formed with venturis, andsaid venturis are positioned relatively close to the cylinder walls.

SAMUEL ELIOT.

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